palm

plural palms · alternative Palm

1. Any of various evergreen trees from the family Palmae or Arecaceae, which are mainly found in the tropics.

   Synonyms: palm tree

2. A branch or leaf of the palm, anciently borne or worn as a symbol of victory or rejoicing.

   A great multitude […] stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palmes in their hands.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Revelation 7:9

3. broadlyfigurativelyTriumph; victory.
4. scoutingAny of the twenty-three awards that can be earned after obtaining the Eagle Scout rank, but generally only before turning eighteen years old.

plural palms

1. The inner and somewhat concave part of the human hand or other primate hand that extends from the wrist to the bases of the fingers.

   On the boys' palms were handfuls of sand.

   3 more examples

   The chiromancer examined my palms first, and eventually had my hands photographed.

   [She] flung herself / Down on the great King's couch, and writhed upon it, / And clench'd her fingers till they bit the palm, / And shriek'd out 'traitor' to the unhearing wall, […]

   1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Elaine”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 179

   The open palm of desire wants everything.

   1990 October 28, Paul Simon, “Further to Fly”, in The Rhythm of the Saints, Warner Bros.

   Synonyms: loof · Antonyms: hardel, backhand

2. The corresponding part of the forefoot of a nonprimate mammal.
3. historicalSynonym of hand, any of various units of length notionally derived from the breadth of the palm, formalized in England as 4 inches and now chiefly used for the height of horses

   He found it to be ninety-five fathoms wide, and five palms deep at a place of average depth

   1931, Herbert Eugene Bolton, Outpost of Empire: The Story of the Founding of San Francisco

   Synonyms: hand, any of various units of length notionally derived from the breadth of the palm, formalized in England as 4 inches and now chiefly used for the height of horses

4. historicalAny of various units of length notionally derived from the length of the palm from the wrist to the base of the fingers.
5. artsA metallic disk attached to a strap and worn in the palm of the hand; used to push the needle through the canvas, in sewing sails, etc.
6. The broad flattened part of an antler, as of a full-grown fallow deer; so called as resembling the palm of the hand with its protruding fingers.

   They watched until the younger bull received a second cut, this one on his flank from a point on the brow palm that would have impaled him if he hadn't jumped out of the way.

   1999, Dana Stabenow, Hunter's Moon, →ISBN, page 168

7. nauticalThe flat inner face of an anchor fluke.

present singular third person palms · participle present palming · participle past palmed · past palmed

1. To hold or conceal something in the palm of the hand, e.g., for an act of sleight of hand or to steal something.
2. To hold something without bending the fingers significantly.

   John palmed the ball.

3. To move something with the palm of the hand.

   The home side's goalkeeper Asmir Begovic managed to palm the drive on to the post but the sheer pace of the shot forced the ball into the net.

   2010 December 28, Marc Vesty, “Stoke 0 - 2 Fulham”, in BBC

4. intransitivetransitiveTo use one's palm as identification to get through a door or security checkpoint.

   I palmed in to work.

   1 more example

   She palmed the door as she talked to the security guard.

5. UKobsoleteslangtransitiveTo bribe.

   He never again appeared in the house where practices of this description are carried on every night, and where officers of the police are palmed (bribed) for their forbearance.

   1845, George Smeeton, Doings in London, page 78

plural Palms

1. A surname mainly of Scandinavian origin.

plural Palms

1. scoutingAlternative letter-case form of palm.

1. abbreviationacronymintellectual propertyAcronym of Patent Application Locating and Monitoring.